England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. 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 a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While 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 the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 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