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The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw recalls their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.

Other Notable Group Draws

The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.

Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.

Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.

Knockout Ramifications

Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the final.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Draw Major Fixture

Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.

Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.

Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.

Larger Tournament for 2027

Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.

Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.

Four of the remaining 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