The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
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 avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six pool winners will face 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
