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The English side and Wales find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw echoes 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 group stage elimination.

Other Notable Pool Pairings

Ireland and the Scots also share a pool together, replicating the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.

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

Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the Springboks top their own group.

Tournament Implications

If the pools conclude according to the current global standings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish until the final.

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

Hosts Draw Major Opener

Hosts the Wallabies have been drawn together with their trans-Tasman 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 marquee fixture aimed at launch the event.

In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and Romania. The French team are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Format for 2027

Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in France.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's existence.

While the winner of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.

A total of four of the other six group winners will play a team that finished third 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