The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool 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 Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland and Scotland also share a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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
