The English along with Welsh Placed in the Same Group for RWC 2027 Down Under
England together with Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.
Other Notable Pool Pairings
Ireland and the Scots also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener
Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face 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
