England together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other 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
