The English and Wales Placed in the Same Group for 2027 Rugby World Cup Down Under

The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing mirrors their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock early exit.

Key Group Pairings

Ireland and the Scots also share a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.

Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks win their own group.

Tournament Implications

Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.

Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Draw Major Fixture

Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.

Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the competition.

In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.

Larger Tournament for 2027

Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.

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

While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool 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