The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play 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
