The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
