🔗 Share this article England along with Wales Drawn Together for RWC 2027 Down Under The pool stage draw was overseen by rugby icons including former All Black Dan Carter. The English side and Wales will face off in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe. This draw mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination. Other Notable Group Pairings Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages. Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, round out that same group. Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group. Knockout Ramifications If the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish all the way to the championship decider. In that scenario, Argentina would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland. Hosts Draw Major Fixture Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A. Australia will open the tournament in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event. In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa. Expanded Tournament for 2027 Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in 2023. This edition will introduce a last-16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence. Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16. A total of four of the other six pool winners will face a third-placed side from the initial group phase. RWC 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