England and Wales Placed in the Same Group for RWC 2027 Down Under
England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing recalls their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the Springboks win their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor 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 Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play 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