The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group 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
