The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining 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
