The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will play 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
