England together with Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play 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
