The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland and the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side 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
