England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and Scotland also share a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side 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
