The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of 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
