The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a team that finished third 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
