The English side together with Wales have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes 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 Pool Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
