The English side together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face 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
