The English side and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages 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.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition 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 avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a team that finished third 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
