The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the 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 heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group 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
