The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side 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
