The English side and Wales will face off in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups play out 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 final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
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 tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
