The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side 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
