The English side together with Wales have been drawn in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side 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
