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England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.

Key Pool Draws

Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.

Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.

Knockout Implications

If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener

Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.

The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.

In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.

Larger Tournament for 2027

Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.

This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.

Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.

A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side 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