England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game'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 group winners will face a team that finished third 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
