The English side and Wales will face off in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, 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 draw mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
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
