The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
