The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart 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 knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play 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
