The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, 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 find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
