The English along with Welsh Pitted Together for the 2027 World Cup Down Under

England together with Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.

Key Pool Draws

The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.

Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.

Knockout Ramifications

Should the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the final.

In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture

Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.

Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition.

In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.

Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages.

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