The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their infamous 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 surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play 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
