The English side and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both 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 Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will play 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