The English and Welsh Pitted Together for 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia

England together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.

Other Notable Pool Draws

The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.

Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their own group.

Knockout Implications

Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener

Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.

Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.

Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.

This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.

Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – 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