The English side together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – 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 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
