The English side together with Wales will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
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
