The English side and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool 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
