The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side 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