The English along with Welsh Placed in the Same Group for RWC 2027 in Australia
England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third 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
