The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain 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 very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
