England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group 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
