🔗 Share this article England and Wales Drawn Together for RWC 2027 in Australia The pool stage draw was conducted by rugby icons such as two-time World Cup winner Dan Carter. England together with Wales have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe. This draw mirrors their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination. Other Notable Pool Pairings The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the quarter-finals. Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D. Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks win their assigned pool. Tournament Implications If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the final. In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland. Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A. Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the competition. Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have drawn Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa. Expanded Tournament for 2027 Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France. The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's history. While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16. A total of four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase. 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