The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart 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 side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 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
