The English side and Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
