The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish 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 convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
Rugby World Cup 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
