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The English side and their Welsh counterparts will face off in an identical group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This pairing recalls their memorable clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's surprise group stage elimination.

Key Pool Draws

The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in France, round out that Pool D.

Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.

Knockout Implications

Should the groups conclude according to the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and the Irish until the final.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener

Hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.

Australia will open the tournament in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to launch the competition.

In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Argentina will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.

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

While the winner of Pool F may avoid some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.

Four of the other six group winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.

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