The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition 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 have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
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
