England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool 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
