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The English side together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a major pool stage clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock early exit.

Key Pool Pairings

Ireland and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a 36-14 win, with their opponents failing to progress to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.

Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans top their own group.

Tournament Ramifications

Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, other top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both England and the Irish until the championship decider.

Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture

Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.

The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the competition.

Elsewhere, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in the competition's existence.

Although the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the last 16.

Four of the other six pool 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