🔗 Share this article The English and Wales Placed Together for 2027 Rugby World Cup Down Under The pool stage draw was conducted by sporting icons including two-time World Cup winner Dan Carter. The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables. This draw mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination. Key Pool Pairings Ireland alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals. Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D. Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool. Tournament Implications Should the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the final. In that scenario, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams. Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A. The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event. In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa. Larger Format for 2027 Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023. The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence. Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16. Four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the pool stages. 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