The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
RWC 2027 Draw
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
