England together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
