The English side and Wales have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face 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
