The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play 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
