🔗 Share this article England and Welsh Drawn Together for the 2027 World Cup Down Under The group draw was overseen by rugby legends such as two-time World Cup winner Dan Carter. The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a major early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables. This draw mirrors their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination. Other Notable Group Draws Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a convincing win, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals. Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D. Notably, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool. Knockout Implications If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the final. Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland. Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A. Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at jump-start the event. Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa. Expanded Tournament for 2027 Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023. The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the first time in the competition's history. While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16. Four of the other six pool winners will face 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