The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa before the final, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, 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 other six pool winners will face a team that finished third 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
