The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great 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 fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 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
