England along with Welsh Pitted Together for the 2027 World Cup Down Under
England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
