The English side together with Wales will face off in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play 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
