🔗 Share this article

The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.

Other Notable Group Pairings

The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.

Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.

Tournament Ramifications

If the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture

Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.

Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.

In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.

This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.

Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.

Four of the other 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