The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
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
