The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face 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
