The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
Rugby World Cup 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
