The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, 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 have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third 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
