The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 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
