England together with Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will face 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
