The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish and Scotland also share a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
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
