🔗 Share this article

England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing mirrors their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.

Other Notable Group Draws

Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.

Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.

Tournament Ramifications

Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.

In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener

Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.

The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.

Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.

While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play 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