The English side and Wales have been drawn in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
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
