🔗 Share this article England along with Welsh Placed in the Same Group for RWC 2027 Down Under The group draw was conducted by sporting icons such as former All Black Dan Carter. The English side and Wales have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables. This draw mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination. Other Notable Group Draws The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages. Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D. Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group. Tournament Ramifications If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider. Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams. Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A. The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition. Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa. Expanded Tournament for 2027 Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023. The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history. Although the winner of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16. A total of four of the other six group winners will face a third-placed side 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