England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group 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
