The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
