The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
