🔗 Share this article The English along with Welsh Drawn Together for the 2027 World Cup in Australia The pool stage draw was conducted by rugby legends including former All Black Dan Carter. The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe. This pairing echoes their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the English team's surprise early exit. Key Pool Draws The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages. Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D. Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group. Knockout Implications Should the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from the likes of the English and Ireland all the way to the championship decider. In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams. Hosts Face Major Fixture Tournament hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A. Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match designed to jump-start the competition. Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa. Expanded Format for 2027 Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who competed in France. The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence. Although the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16. Four of the remaining 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