The English side and Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and Scotland also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
