The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the 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 – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
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
