The English side and Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, 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 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
