🔗 Share this article England and Welsh Placed in the Same Group for 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia The group draw was conducted by sporting legends such as two-time World Cup winner Dan Carter. The English side and Wales will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables. This pairing echoes their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination. Key Group Draws Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages. Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D. Notably, the victors of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group. Tournament Ramifications If the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland until the final. In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams. Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A. The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition. Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa. Expanded Tournament for 2027 Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023. The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's existence. While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round. A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase. Rugby World Cup 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