England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows 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.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other 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
