The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should 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 the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool 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
