The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 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
