The English side together with Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third 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
