The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side 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
