The English along with Welsh Pitted in the Same Group for 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia

England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing mirrors their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.

Other Notable Group Draws

Ireland and Scotland also share a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.

Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their own group.

Tournament Implications

Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture

Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.

The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition.

In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Larger Tournament for 2027

Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.

While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.

A total of four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.

Rugby World Cup 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