The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will play 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
