The English side and Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group 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 pool stages.
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
