The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish and Scotland also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both England and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group 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
