The English side together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish and Scotland also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
