The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
RWC 2027 Draw
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
