The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until 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 top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
