The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, 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 other six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 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
