The English side and Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side 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
