The English side and Wales will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
