The English side and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other 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
