The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a round of 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 have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side 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
