The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool 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
