The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots also share a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
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
