The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
Rugby World Cup 2027 Draw
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
