The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other 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
