England together with Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 2027 Groups
Pool A
- New Zealand
- Australia
- Chile
- Hong Kong
Pool B
- South Africa
- Italy
- Georgia
- Romania
Pool C
- Argentina
- Fiji
- Spain
- Canada
Pool D
- Ireland
- Scotland
- Uruguay
- Portugal
Pool E
- France
- Japan
- USA
- Samoa
Pool F
- England
- Wales
- Tonga
- Zimbabwe
