The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
