The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably 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.
Rugby World Cup 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
