The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing win, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side 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
