The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining 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
