The English side together with Wales will face off in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third 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
