The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 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
