The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other 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, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 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
