England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
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 cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group 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
