The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish and Scotland also share a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face 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
