🔗 Share this article The English and Welsh Pitted in the Same Group for RWC 2027 Down Under The pool stage draw was overseen by sporting legends including former All Black Dan Carter. England and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables. This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock early exit. Key Pool Pairings The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages. Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group. Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool. Tournament Implications Should the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both England and the Irish until the final. In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams. Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A. Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the event. In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa. Larger Format for 2027 Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023. The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history. Although the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round. A total of four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third 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