The English side and Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
