England together with Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Draws
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression 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 final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face 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
