The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland and Scotland also share a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners 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 aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup 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 Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
