The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
RWC 2027 Groups
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
