The English and Welsh Drawn Together for RWC 2027 Down Under

The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.

Key Pool Pairings

Ireland and the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.

Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their own group.

Knockout Ramifications

Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture

Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.

The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition.

In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.

Larger Format 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 competed in France.

The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.

Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.

Rugby World Cup 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