The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side 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
