The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
