The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, 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 final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
RWC 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
