The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
