The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots also share a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
