England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 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 rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
