The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third 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
