The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
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
