The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play 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
