The English side together with Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will play 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
