The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
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 tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, 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 third-placed side 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
