The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
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 runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face 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
