The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
