The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, 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 the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool 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
