The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and the Scots also share a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side 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
