The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
