England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play 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
