The English side together with Wales will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland and Scotland also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks 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 that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows 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 the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
