The English side together with Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa before the final, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
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
