The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
