The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes 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 hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish and the Scots also share a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other 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
