The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish and Scotland also share a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play 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
