England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side 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
