The English side together with Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out according to the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up 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 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
