England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
