England together with Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third 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
