The English along with Wales Placed in the Same Group for RWC 2027 Down Under
England together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Draws
The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that same group.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Opener
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
RWC 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
