The English side and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
