The English along with Welsh Placed Together for RWC 2027 in Australia
England together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.
Other Notable Group Pairings
Ireland and Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Ramifications
Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
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
