England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, 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 championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group 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
