The English side and Wales 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 Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major 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 fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the 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 biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group 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.
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
