England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
