The English side and Wales have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
