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The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock early exit.

Key Pool Pairings

Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.

Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.

Tournament Implications

Should the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.

Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener

Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.

The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.

Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.

The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.

Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.

Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third 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