England along with Welsh Placed in the Same Group for 2027 Rugby World Cup Down Under

The English side together with Wales will face off in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This draw echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.

Key Pool Draws

The Irish and Scotland also share a group once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.

Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.

Knockout Ramifications

If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture

Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.

The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.

Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.

While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.

Four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.

Rugby World Cup 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