The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group 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
