England along with Welsh Pitted Together for the 2027 World Cup Down Under
England together with Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the groups conclude according to the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both England and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side from the pool stages.
Rugby World Cup 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
