The English along with Welsh Pitted in the Same Group for 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia

England and Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.

Key Pool Pairings

The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages 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 South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.

Tournament Implications

Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.

Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture

Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.

Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the event.

Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.

While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.

Four of the other six pool winners will face 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