The English side together with Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of 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
