The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
Rugby World Cup 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
