The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
