The English side and Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool 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
