The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to 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 Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – 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.
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
