England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
