England together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
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
