The English side and Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
