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England together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This draw recalls their famous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.

Other Notable Group Pairings

Ireland alongside Scotland also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.

Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans top their own group.

Knockout Implications

If the pools play out in line with the current global standings, other leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and Ireland until the final.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.

Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture

Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.

Australia will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a marquee fixture aimed at jump-start the competition.

In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.

The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.

While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the remaining six group winners will face a third-placed side from the pool stages.

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