The English side and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool 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
