The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart 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 side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side 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
