England and Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
Rugby World Cup 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
