🔗 Share this article

The English side together with Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.

Other Notable Group Draws

Ireland and Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.

Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.

Knockout Ramifications

Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.

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

Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture

Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.

The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.

In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.

Larger Tournament for 2027

Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.

While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.

Four of the other six pool winners will face 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