The English side together with Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors 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 early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side 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
