The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament 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 Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
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
