England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing 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 English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool 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
