The English and Welsh Placed in the Same Group for RWC 2027 in Australia
The English side and Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Key Group Draws
The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.
Although the winner 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 Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
RWC 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