The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland and Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup 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 existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
Rugby World Cup 2027 Draw
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
