🔗 Share this article England along with Welsh Drawn Together for 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia The group draw was overseen by rugby legends including former All Black Dan Carter. The English side and Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables. This draw recalls their famous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise group stage elimination. Key Pool Pairings The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages. Uruguay and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group. Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans win their assigned pool. Knockout Ramifications If the pools play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish all the way to the championship decider. Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland. Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A. The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at launch the event. Elsewhere, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa. Expanded Tournament for 2027 Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023. The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup existence. While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round. Four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages. 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