The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish and the Scots also share a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside 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 designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
