The English side and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland and Scotland also share a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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