England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage 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 game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
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
