England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side 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
