The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland 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 progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa 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.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other 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
