England captain Maro Itoje has declared his side's ambition to win the 2027 Rugby World Cup, following a favourable draw for the tournament in Australia that has steered them clear of the biggest early threats.
A Path Cleared of Heavyweights
The draw, conducted in Sydney on Wednesday, placed Steve Borthwick's England in Pool F alongside Wales, Tonga, and Zimbabwe for the expanded 24-team event. Crucially, they emerged on the opposite side of the bracket from reigning champions South Africa, three-time winners New Zealand, and the formidable French team.
This sets up a potential route where Italy, Australia, Ireland, or Argentina would likely be opponents in the knockout stages, rather than the tournament favourites. The draw comes as England, currently on an 11-match winning streak, have risen to third in the world rankings.
Itoje and Borthwick Set Sights on Victory
"I think our ambition is to do very well and win this tournament," stated a bullish Itoje. "That's definitely our goal. But to do that we know we have to make sure we get our preparation right, and the next two years leading to the World Cup is massive."
Head coach Steve Borthwick echoed his captain's sentiment, confirming the team's clear objective. "We've been very clear in saying our aim is to win the World Cup," Borthwick said, referencing England's sole triumph in 2003. "I want to make sure that our supporters in Australia in two years' time have loads to cheer about."
Wales Clash Looms Large in Pool F
The most immediate headline from the draw is a fiery Pool F clash with neighbours and historic rivals Wales. While England are buoyant, Wales have slumped to 11th in the world and suffered a record 73-0 defeat to South Africa last weekend.
Wales head coach Steve Tandy acknowledged the scale of the fixture. "Those big games against England are always massive and being in the World Cup they seem bigger," he said. "Overall it is just unbelievably exciting and obviously most people will focus on the England game."
Borthwick recalled the intensity of past encounters, stating any match against Wales is "full of passion and full of spirit."
Scotland Face Familiar Irish Hurdle
Elsewhere in the draw, Scotland once again face the daunting prospect of meeting Ireland in the pool stage, having lost to them at both the 2019 and 2023 tournaments. Scotland have not beaten Ireland since 2017.
"It would help massively if we got on the right side of the result for a change," admitted Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend. "We know how tough it will be and we'll be doing everything we can to win that game."
With the draw now set, the countdown to the 2027 tournament in Australia begins in earnest, with England's expectations firmly set on lifting the Webb Ellis Cup for the first time in 24 years.
