The English side and Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining 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
