England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool 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
