England along with Welsh Pitted in the Same Group for RWC 2027 Down Under
The English side together with Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, presuming the Springboks top their own group.
Tournament Implications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the final.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will face 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
