The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish and Scotland also share a group together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face 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
