England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of 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
