The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
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
