The English side together with Wales will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks 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 highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor 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 – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool 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
