England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing recalls their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 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 victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other 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
