The English along with Wales Placed in the Same Group for 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia

England and Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This draw echoes their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.

Other Notable Pool Pairings

The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Portugal, 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 defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.

Knockout Ramifications

Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture

Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.

The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.

In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.

Larger Tournament for 2027

Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.

This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.

Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.

A total of four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.

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