England along with Wales Pitted in the Same Group for RWC 2027 Down Under
England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Draws
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face 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
