England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, 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 other six group winners will play 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
