England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland and Scotland also share a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
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
