🔗 Share this article The English along with Wales Drawn Together for RWC 2027 Down Under The pool stage draw was conducted by sporting legends such as two-time World Cup winner Dan Carter. England together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe. This pairing recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination. Key Group Pairings Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals. Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, round out that Pool D. Significantly, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their own group. Tournament Implications Should the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the championship decider. Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams. Hosts Draw Major Fixture Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A. The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event. Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa. Expanded Format for 2027 Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in France. The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history. While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16. A total of four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase. RWC 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