The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out 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 until the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team 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.
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
