The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage 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 game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
