The English side and Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
RWC 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
