The English side and Wales will face off 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 the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France 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 tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the 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 meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play 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
