The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance 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 both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely 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
