The English side together with Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
