The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
