England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude 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 Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face 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
