The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
