The English side together with Wales will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play 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
