The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group 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
