The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
