The English side together with Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish and the Scots also share a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group 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
