🔗 Share this article The English along with Wales Placed in the Same Group for the 2027 World Cup in Australia The pool stage draw was overseen by rugby legends such as former All Black Dan Carter. England together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe. This draw echoes their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination. Key Pool Draws The Irish and the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the knockout stages. Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group. Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group. Tournament Implications Should the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland all the way to the final. Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams. Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A. The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to launch the event. In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa. Expanded Format for 2027 Argentina will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in 2023. This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history. Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round. A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages. 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