The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
