The English side together with Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
