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England and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in an identical pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing recalls their infamous clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.

Key Pool Draws

The Irish and the Scots also share a pool once again, just as the scenario from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Os Lobos, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.

Notably, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their own group.

Tournament Ramifications

If the pools play out according to the current global standings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and France would remain separated from both the English and Ireland until the championship decider.

Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Face Major Opener

Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Pool A.

Australia will open the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at launch the competition.

In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are in a pool with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Los Pumas will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in 2023.

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

Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the runner-up from Group B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.

Four of the remaining six pool winners will face a third-placed side 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