The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
RWC 2027 Draw
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
