The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side 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
