The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play 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
