England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup 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 runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side 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
