The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish and the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
While 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 Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool 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
