🔗 Share this article England along with Welsh Placed Together for 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia The pool stage draw was conducted by sporting icons such as two-time World Cup winner Dan Carter. England together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables. This draw mirrors their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise early exit. Key Group Pairings The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages. Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in France, round out that same group. Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the showpiece match, presuming the Springboks win their own group. Tournament Ramifications If the groups play out according to the current world rankings, other top favourites like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and Ireland all the way to the final. Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams. Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A. Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the event. Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa. Larger Tournament for 2027 Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023. The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history. While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16. A total of four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase. 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