The English and Wales Placed in the Same Group for the 2027 World Cup in Australia
The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further 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 other top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
RWC 2027 Groups
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
