The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu 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 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool 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
