England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
RWC 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