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The English side and Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, setting up a highly-anticipated early encounter in Australia. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw recalls their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at Twickenham played a part in the English team's shock group stage elimination.

Other Notable Pool Pairings

The Irish alongside the Scots also share a group together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing victory, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in France, complete that same group.

Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, presuming the South Africans win their own group.

Tournament Implications

Should the groups play out according to the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland until the final.

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

Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener

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

The Wallabies will kick off the tournament in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture aimed at launch the event.

Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with the Brave Blossoms, future hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Argentina will take on Fiji, Spain and Canada as the World Cup grows to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in 2023.

This edition will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's history.

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

A total of four of the other 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