The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
