The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third 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
