The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other 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
