The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play 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
