The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
