The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group 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
