The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
