The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
