The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots also share a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
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 face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 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
