The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots also share a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a team that finished third 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
