The English side and Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third 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
