The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups play out according to the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play 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
