England and Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish and Scotland also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will feature a last-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 game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
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
