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 pairing recalls their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
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 the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third 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
