England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
