The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, 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.
RWC 2027 Groups
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
