The English side together with Wales have been drawn in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and the Scots also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group 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
