The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play 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
