The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
RWC 2027 Groups
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
