The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots also share a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart 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 the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
RWC 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
