England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor 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 runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
RWC 2027 Groups
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
