England along with Welsh Pitted Together for the 2027 World Cup Down Under

England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This draw echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.

Other Notable Pool Pairings

The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to advance to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.

Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.

Tournament Implications

If the pools 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.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.

Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture

Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.

The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at 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 USA and Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.

This edition will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.

While the victor of England and Wales's group 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 – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.

Rugby World Cup 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