The English side together with Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams 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 history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other 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
