The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should 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 England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
RWC 2027 Groups
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
