England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
