The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
