The English side together with Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland and Scotland also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of 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 half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool 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
