The English side together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-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 game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third 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
