The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and the Scots also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably 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 pool stages.
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
