The English and Welsh Drawn Together for RWC 2027 Down Under

England together with Wales will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This pairing recalls their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.

Key Group Pairings

Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.

Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.

Tournament Implications

Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.

Hosts Face Major Fixture

Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.

The Wallabies will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the event.

Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty 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 winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side 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