The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish and Scotland also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
