The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group 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
