The English side together with Wales have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the 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 have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
