The English side and Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play 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
