🔗 Share this article England along with Welsh Pitted Together for 2027 Rugby World Cup Down Under The pool stage draw was overseen by rugby icons such as two-time World Cup winner Dan Carter. The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe. This pairing echoes their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock early exit. Other Notable Group Pairings The Irish alongside Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals. Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D. Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their assigned pool. Tournament Implications Should the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and France would remain separated from the likes of England and the Irish until the championship decider. Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams. Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A. Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event. In other groups, holders the Springboks have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa. Expanded Tournament for 2027 Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023. The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history. Although the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the last 16. A total of four of the remaining six pool winners will play a third-placed side from the initial group phase. Rugby World Cup 2027 Groups 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