The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 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
