England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
