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The English side and Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.

This pairing recalls their famous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock early exit.

Other Notable Group Draws

The Irish and the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group once again, replicating the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland failing to progress to the quarter-finals.

Los Teros and Os Lobos, both impressed as surprise packages in the last World Cup, round out that same group.

Significantly, the winners of these two groups are kept apart from holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.

Knockout Ramifications

If the pools conclude in line with the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and Ireland all the way to the final.

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

Tournament Hosts Draw Major Fixture

Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners the All Blacks in Group A.

Australia will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster match designed to jump-start the competition.

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

Expanded Format for 2027

Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.

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

While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.

Four of the remaining six group winners will play 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