The English side together with Wales will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and the Scots also share a pool once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face 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
