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The English side together with their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw echoes their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.

Key Group Pairings

The Irish and Scotland also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, they secured a 36-14 win, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.

Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that same group.

Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the Springboks win their own group.

Tournament Implications

Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and the Irish until the championship decider.

In that scenario, Argentina would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.

Hosts Draw Major Fixture

Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.

Australia will kick off the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the event.

Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.

This edition will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.

While the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.

A total of four of the other six group winners will play 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