The English side together with Wales have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third 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
