England together with Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed 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 showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
