England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor 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 Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
RWC 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
