The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish and Scotland also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage 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 early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other 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
