England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will play 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
