THE Rugby Football Union (RFU) has confirmed that England Men’s ‘A’ will host Ireland XV at Sandy Park, the home of Exeter Chiefs, and face Chile at Gloucester Rugby’s Kingsholm in 2027.

Mark Mapletoft’s team will descend on Devon for their second fixture of the season on Saturday, February 20 (7pm kick-off), and the third time the sides have met since the reintroduction of England’s ‘A’ side in 2024.

England ‘A’ then face off against Pablo Lemoine’s Chile in Gloucester the following Friday, February 26, 7.45 kick-off), falling in the fallow week of the 2027 Guinness Men’s Six Nations. The announcement follows confirmation of the team’s season opener against Argentina XV on Friday, November 6 at The Rec, Bath. England 'A' provides a platform for players transitioning from Gallagher PREM Rugby and pathway at U20 level to the senior men’s team.

Of those that represented the 'A' squad in the 2025/26 season, Noah Caluori, Emmanuel Iyogun and George Kloska went on to earn their senior men’s debut for England this summer. England ‘A’, then under the banner of the Saxons, faced Italy ‘A’ at Sandy Park in 2007 (34-5) before returning in 2012 to defeat the Irish Wolfhounds 23-17. The previous England representative encounter against Los Cóndores came in the 2023 Rugby World Cup in a 71-0 victory in Lille, with England U19 Men partaking in the 2001 U19 World Championship in Chile and England Counties also winning 33-21 in Santiago on June 29, 2002. Tickets for the Ireland XV match go on general sale next Tuesday (October 6) at 10am via this link, with a pre-sale now open for Exeter Chiefs season ticket holders and members. Adult tickets start from £18 and kids (U16) from £5, booking fees apply. Tickets for the Chile match go on general sale next Tuesday (October 6) at 12pm via this link, with a pre-sale now open for Gloucester Rugby season ticket holders and members. Adult tickets start from £22 and kids (U16) from £10, booking fees apply. Further information around squad and coach selection, as well as fixture broadcast information, will be communicated in due course. England Rugby Head of Men's Player Pathway and Men's 'A' head coach, Mark Mapletoft, said: “These fixtures represent another meaningful part of the pathway, and we want players to embrace them, perform and demonstrate their potential for future England teams. “Ireland XV and Chile will offer distinct and quality international tests for our group, as we look to forge a strong environment where players can build connections and demonstrate what they can bring to an England team. “We want England A to provide substantive experiences that help players put themselves in the best position to progress and develop on their journey.”