The English and Welsh Pitted in the Same Group for the 2027 World Cup in Australia
The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.
Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
If the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Los Pumas 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 the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.
Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the event.
Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet 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 initial group phase.
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
