The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
