The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side 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
