The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the 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 initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group 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
