The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
RWC 2027 Groups
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
