England together with Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, 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 remaining six group winners will play 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
