The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will face 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
