The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
Rugby World Cup 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
