The English side and Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face 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
