The English side and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
