England together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six group winners will face 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
