The English side and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus 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 half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool 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
