England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded 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 Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play 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
