England and Wales will face off in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising 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 pairing echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada 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 first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will play 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