The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 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
