The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very 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 initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side 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
