The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group 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
