The English side and Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland and Scotland also share a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
