🔗 Share this article The English along with Wales Pitted in the Same Group for the 2027 World Cup Down Under The group draw was conducted by rugby icons including former All Black Dan Carter. England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe. This pairing mirrors their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination. Other Notable Group Draws Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages. Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that same group. Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their own group. Knockout Ramifications If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish all the way to the final. Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams. Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A. Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition. In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa. Expanded Format for 2027 Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France. This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history. While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16. A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase. RWC 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