The English side together with Wales will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
