The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play 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
