The English side and Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
RWC 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
