The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool 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
