The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group 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
