The English side together with their Welsh counterparts 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 Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining 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
