The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 2027 Groups
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
