The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland and Scotland also share a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
