The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool 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 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
