The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
