The English and Welsh Pitted Together for RWC 2027 Down Under

England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This pairing echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.

Other Notable Group Pairings

Ireland and the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.

Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.

Tournament Implications

If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.

Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener

Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.

The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.

In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.

This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence.

Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.

A total of 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