The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
