England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights 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 remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
