The English side together with Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face 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
