The English side together with Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face 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
