The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side 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
