The English side together with Wales will face off in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
