The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
