The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi 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 hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland and Scotland also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great 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 fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool 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
