The English along with Wales Drawn in the Same Group for 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia
The English side and Wales will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This draw echoes 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 English team's surprise early exit.
Key Group Draws
Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.
Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool.
Knockout Implications
Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.
In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.
Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener
Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.
In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Larger Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.
A total of four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third 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
