England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks 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 other top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
Rugby World Cup 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
