The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland and Scotland also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
RWC 2027 Groups
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
