🔗 Share this article The English along with Wales Drawn in the Same Group for 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia The pool stage draw was conducted by sporting icons including two-time World Cup winner Dan Carter. England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical pool 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 pairing mirrors their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock early exit. Other Notable Pool Pairings Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals. Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group. Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the Springboks top their own group. Knockout Implications If the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the final. In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as England and Ireland. Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener Hosts Australia find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A. Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the competition. In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa. Larger Format for 2027 Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France. This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history. Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16. Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase. 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