The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster 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 tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool 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
