The English side and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third 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
