The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature 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 avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
RWC 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
