The English side and their Welsh counterparts 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 Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
RWC 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
