England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play 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
