The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish and the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner 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 – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side 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
