The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side 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
