The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining 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
