🔗 Share this article The English and Wales Placed in the Same Group for the 2027 World Cup Down Under The group draw was conducted by rugby legends such as two-time World Cup winner Dan Carter. The English side together with Wales have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe. This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination. Key Pool Draws Ireland and the Scots also share a group together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a convincing win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages. Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group. Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group. Knockout Implications If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider. In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams. Hosts Draw Major Fixture Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A. The Wallabies will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event. In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa. Expanded Tournament for 2027 Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France. This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the 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 biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round. Four of the remaining 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