The English side and Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
