The English side and Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes 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.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and the Scots also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
RWC 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
