The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor 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 the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side 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
