The English side together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group 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
