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 encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face 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
