The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third 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
