The English side together with Wales will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major early 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 memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third 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
