The English side together with Wales will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool 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
