The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, 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 world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side 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
