England together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland and the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England 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 elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side 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
