The English side and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool 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
