The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining 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
