The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group 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
