England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining 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
