England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play 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
