England and Wales Drawn Together for 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia

The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This pairing mirrors their memorable 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 Scotland also share a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing win, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group.

Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.

Knockout Ramifications

Should the groups play out according to the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the final.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.

Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture

Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.

Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.

In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.

This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's existence.

While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.

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