The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side 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
