The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
