The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby'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 other six group winners will play 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
