The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi 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 Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the final, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman 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 blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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