The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group 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 victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group 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
