England together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play 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
