The English side and Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
