The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play 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
