The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side 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
