England and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor 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 Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
