England together with Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – 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
