The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
Rugby World Cup 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
