The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face 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
