The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish 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 Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
