England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland and the Scots also share a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining 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
