The English side and Wales will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty 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 winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
