The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls 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 early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Notably, 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 own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third 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