The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their memorable meeting 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 group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.
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 runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third 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
