🔗 Share this article England and Wales Placed in the Same Group for 2027 Rugby World Cup Down Under The pool stage draw was conducted by rugby icons such as two-time World Cup winner Dan Carter. The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe. This pairing echoes their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination. Key Pool Draws Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages. Los Teros and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that same group. Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool. Knockout Ramifications Should the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the final. In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland. Hosts Draw Major Fixture Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A. Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition. In other groups, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa. Larger Tournament for 2027 Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023. This edition will feature a last-16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history. Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round. A total of four of the other six group winners will play 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