The English side together with Wales have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and Scotland also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group 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
