England and Wales Pitted Together for RWC 2027 in Australia

England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw echoes their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.

Key Group Pairings

The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group.

Significantly, 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 top their own group.

Tournament Ramifications

If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the final.

Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Draw Major Opener

Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.

The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.

In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.

This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's history.

While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.

A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a third-placed side 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