England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
