England and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
