England along with Wales Drawn Together for 2027 Rugby World Cup Down Under

England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This pairing recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit.

Key Pool Pairings

The Irish and the Scots also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group.

Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks before the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.

Tournament Implications

Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the final.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener

Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.

Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.

Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.

Larger Tournament for 2027

Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.

This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.

Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.

Four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.

RWC 2027 Draw

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