The English side together with Wales have been drawn in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group 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 – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
