🔗 Share this article

The English side together with Wales have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This pairing mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.

Key Group Pairings

The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.

Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.

Knockout Ramifications

Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Draw Major Opener

Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.

The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the event.

In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.

While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.

Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third 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