England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
