The English side and Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face 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
