The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners 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 launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
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
