England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
RWC 2027 Draw
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
