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England and their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw recalls their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock early exit.

Key Group Draws

The Irish alongside the Scots also share a pool once again, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, Ireland claimed a convincing win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as surprise packages in France, complete that Pool D.

Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.

Knockout Ramifications

Should the groups play out in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.

In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as England and Ireland.

Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture

Hosts Australia find themselves alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.

The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at launch the event.

Elsewhere, holders the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who took part in 2023.

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

While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.

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