The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group 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 Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
