The English side together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland and Scotland also share a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
