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England and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing mirrors their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' surprise early exit.

Other Notable Pool Pairings

The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.

Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks before the final, presuming the Springboks win their assigned pool.

Knockout Ramifications

Should the pools play out according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.

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

Tournament Hosts Draw Blockbuster Opener

Hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Pool A.

The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in the city of Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.

Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have been paired with Italy, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Los Pumas will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.

This edition will feature a round of 16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.

Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the other six group winners will play a third-placed side 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