The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
