The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 2027 Groups
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
