England along with Wales Drawn in the Same Group for RWC 2027 Down Under
The English side and Wales have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.
Key Pool Pairings
The Irish and Scotland also share a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Knockout Ramifications
Should the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.
The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to launch the competition.
In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.
Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.
A total of four of the other six pool 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
