The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish and the Scots also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones 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 feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group 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
