🔗 Share this article The English and Welsh Pitted in the Same Group for 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia The group draw was conducted by sporting legends including former All Black Dan Carter. England together with Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early clash in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables. This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination. Key Group Pairings Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages. Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that same group. Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the South Africans top their own group. Knockout Ramifications If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the championship decider. Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland. Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A. The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition. In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa. Larger Format for 2027 Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023. The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history. While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16. A total of four of the remaining six pool 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