The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
