The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland and Scotland also share a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very 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 meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
