The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
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 the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
