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The English side together with their Welsh counterparts will face off in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Pool 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 played a part in the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.

Other Notable Group Draws

The Irish and Scotland have likewise been drawn in a pool once again, replicating the scenario from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they claimed a convincing win, with Scotland failing to progress to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Portugal, both impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, round out that Pool D.

Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet holders and world number one South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks top their own group.

Knockout Implications

If the pools play out according to the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would remain separated from both the English and Ireland all the way to the final.

In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on the same half of the elimination bracket as England and Ireland.

Hosts Draw Blockbuster Fixture

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

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

In other groups, reigning champions South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and the Oaks. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Manu Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Argentina will face Fiji, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.

The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 round for the very first time in the competition's existence.

While the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the rugby's biggest beasts initially, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.

A total of four of the remaining six group winners will play a team that finished third from the initial group phase.

Rugby World Cup 2027 Groups

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