The English side together with Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face 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
