England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish and the Scots also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool 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
