🔗 Share this article The English and Welsh Pitted Together for the 2027 World Cup Down Under The pool stage draw was overseen by rugby icons such as former All Black Dan Carter. The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe. This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit. Other Notable Pool Draws The Irish and the Scots also share a group once again, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages. Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D. Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool. Tournament Implications If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the final. In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland. Tournament Hosts Face Major Fixture Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A. The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition. Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the United States and Samoa. Larger Tournament for 2027 Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023. The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence. Although the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16. A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages. 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