England together with Wales have been drawn in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Draws
Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group 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
