The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the groups conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, 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 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
