The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face 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
