The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
