England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament 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 Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 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
