The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, just as 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 Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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