The English side together with Wales have been drawn in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face 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
