The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
