The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts 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 group winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
