The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 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 game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side 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
