The English side and Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face 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
