The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups 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 conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the 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 heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
RWC 2027 Draw
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
