England and Welsh Pitted in the Same Group for RWC 2027 Down Under
The English side and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn 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 October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a third-placed side 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
