The English and Welsh Drawn in the Same Group for RWC 2027 in Australia
The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.
Other Notable Group Draws
Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals.
Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.
Knockout Implications
If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.
Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history.
Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.
RWC 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
