England and Welsh Placed Together for 2027 Rugby World Cup Down Under

England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.

Other Notable Pool Draws

The Irish and the Scots also share a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.

Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.

Knockout Ramifications

If the groups play out according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.

Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener

Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.

Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.

In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.

While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.

Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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