The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
