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The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.

Key Group Pairings

Ireland and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a pool together, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. On that occasion, they claimed a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to advance to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.

Notably, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.

Tournament Implications

If the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of the English and Ireland until the final.

In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on that half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener

Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Group A.

Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event.

In other groups, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

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

The 2027 tournament will introduce a round of 16 round for the very first time in Rugby World Cup history.

Although the winner of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the last 16.

Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a team that finished third from the pool stages.

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