The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish and Scotland also share a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group 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
