England along with Wales Pitted in the Same Group for the 2027 World Cup in Australia

England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock early exit.

Key Pool Pairings

The Irish and the Scots also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.

Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.

Tournament Implications

Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the final.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture

Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.

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

Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.

The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.

While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.

Four of the other six pool 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