The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 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 heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
