England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 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
