🔗 Share this article England and Wales Drawn in the Same Group for RWC 2027 Down Under The pool stage draw was conducted by rugby icons such as two-time World Cup winner Dan Carter. England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe. This pairing recalls their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination. Other Notable Group Draws Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents failing to advance to the quarter-finals. Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D. Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group. Knockout Implications If the groups conclude in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the final. Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams. Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A. The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the competition. Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa. Expanded Format for 2027 Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France. This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence. While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16. A total of four of the other six pool 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