The English side and Wales will face off in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
RWC 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
