The English side and Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining 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
