The English side together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group 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
