The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish and the Scots also share a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third 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
