The English side together with Wales will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
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 early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
