The English side together with Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and Scotland also share a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third 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
