The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both England and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play 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
