England and Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool 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
