The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool together, replicating 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.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until 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 Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
