The English side and 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 Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
