The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
