England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing 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.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play 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
