The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
