The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third 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
