The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third 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
