England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising 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 pairing recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play 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
