The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors 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' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other 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
