England together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish and the Scots also share a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
