The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-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 rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of 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
