The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman 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 blockbuster match designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side 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
