The English and Wales Drawn Together for RWC 2027 Down Under

The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This pairing recalls their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock early exit.

Key Pool Pairings

Ireland and Scotland also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.

Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.

Knockout Implications

Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.

Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Face Major Opener

Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.

Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event.

Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023.

The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.

While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the remaining six group 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