The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves 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 October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
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 Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play 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
