The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will face 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
