England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face 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
