England together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group 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 draw recalls their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland and Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining 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
