The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same 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 memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's 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 runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face 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
