The English side together with Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots also share a group together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a team that finished third 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
