The English side together with Wales will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely 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 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
