The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland and Scotland also share a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play 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
