The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face 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
