The English side and Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up 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 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
