The English side and Wales have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool 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
