The English side together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
