The English side together with Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
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 until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play 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
