England together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn 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 fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
RWC 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
