The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
