The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a pool once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks 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 launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
