The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each 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 top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
Rugby World Cup 2027 Groups
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
