The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas 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 Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group 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
