🔗 Share this article

The English side together with Wales will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.

Key Group Draws

The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.

Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.

Knockout Ramifications

If the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.

Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.

Hosts Draw Major Opener

Tournament 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 Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the event.

Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.

Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.

Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.

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