England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and Scotland also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – 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 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
