The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
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
