The English and Welsh Placed in the Same Group for 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia
The English side and Wales will face off in an identical pool for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock early exit.
Key Group Pairings
Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.
Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.
Tournament Implications
If the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider.
In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture
Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.
Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.
Expanded Tournament for 2027
Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.
While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.
Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase.
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
