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The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage clash in Australia. They are joined in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing echoes their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' shock group stage elimination.

Key Group Draws

Ireland alongside Scotland also share a pool once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.

Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the final, presuming the Springboks win their own group.

Tournament Implications

If the groups play out in line with the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.

In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Face Major Opener

Tournament hosts the Wallabies find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.

Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to jump-start the competition.

Elsewhere, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.

The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup existence.

While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.

Four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third 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