England together with Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain 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 Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
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
