The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
RWC 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
