The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
RWC 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
