The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
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 the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining 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
