The English side and Wales will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
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
