The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will face 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
