The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third 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
