The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
