The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will face 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
