England and Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the pools play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
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
