The English and Welsh Drawn in the Same Group for 2027 Rugby World Cup Down Under
England together with Wales will face off in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their famous meeting 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 early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Knockout Implications
Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English 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 those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B β probably Italy β in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play 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
