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The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This pairing mirrors their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.

Key Group Pairings

The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.

Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.

Knockout Implications

Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland until the championship decider.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Face Major Opener

Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.

Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.

Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.

This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.

Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third 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