The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 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
