The English side and Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
RWC 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
