England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland and Scotland also share a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool 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
