The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face 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
