The English side together with Wales have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
RWC 2027 Groups
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
