🔗 Share this article The English and Welsh Pitted Together for 2027 Rugby World Cup Down Under The pool stage draw was overseen by sporting icons including former All Black Dan Carter. The English side and Wales will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe. This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit. Other Notable Pool Draws Ireland alongside the Scots also share a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages. Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that same group. Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool. Knockout Implications Should the pools conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider. In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams. Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A. Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event. In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa. Expanded Format for 2027 Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023. This edition will introduce a round of 16 stage 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 biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round. Four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase. RWC 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