The English side and Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group 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
