The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
