The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish and the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third 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
