The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament 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 tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other 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
