England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages 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 South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool 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
