The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
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
