The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool 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
