The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage 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 memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will play 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
