The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 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
