The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
RWC 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
