The English side and Wales have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots also share a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn 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 drawn Italy, the Lelos 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 take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play 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
