The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter 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 Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
