England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face 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
