The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
