The English side together with Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool 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
