The English side and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play 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
