The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish and the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group 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
