The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game'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 pool winners will face 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
