England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and Scotland also share a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play 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
