The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third 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
