The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
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
