🔗 Share this article The English along with Welsh Drawn in the Same Group for 2027 Rugby World Cup Down Under The pool stage draw was overseen by sporting icons such as former All Black Dan Carter. The English side together with Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a highly-anticipated early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe. This pairing recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's surprise early exit. Other Notable Pool Pairings Ireland and Scotland also share a group together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages. Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D. Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool. Knockout Ramifications If the groups play out according to the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and Ireland until the final. Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland. Hosts Face Major Opener Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A. The Wallabies will open the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the event. In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa. Larger Format for 2027 Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in France. The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence. While the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round. Four of the other six pool winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase. 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