The English side and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
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
