The English side and Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face 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
