England together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
