The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
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
