The English side together with Wales will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland 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 win, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third 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
