🔗 Share this article England along with Welsh Pitted Together for the 2027 World Cup Down Under The group draw was overseen by rugby icons such as former All Black Dan Carter. The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe. This pairing recalls 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 Pool Pairings Ireland alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals. Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group. Significantly, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group. Tournament Implications If the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both England and the Irish all the way to the final. In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland. Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener Hosts Australia have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A. Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event. Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa 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 Manu Samoa. Expanded Format for 2027 Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in France. The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history. Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round. Four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages. RWC 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