The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage 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 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 remaining 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
