The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish and the Scots also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side 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
