England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool 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
