The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots also share a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face 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
