The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, 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 top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side 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
