The English and Welsh Pitted Together for the 2027 World Cup Down Under
The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Draws
The Irish and the Scots also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Opener
Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side 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
