The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the 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 have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
