The English side together with Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group 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
