The English side and Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round 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 game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play 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
