The English side together with Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play 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
