The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
