The English side together with Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing win, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side 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
