The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash 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 Draws
Ireland and Scotland also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
