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The English side and Wales find themselves placed in an identical group for the World Cup in 2027, promising a major early clash in Australia. Completing the group in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw mirrors their infamous meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock early exit.

Key Group Draws

The Irish alongside the Scots have likewise been drawn in a group together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. On that occasion, Ireland claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the knockout stages.

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

Significantly, the victors of these two groups are kept apart from defending champions and world number one South Africa before the final, assuming the South Africans win their own group.

Knockout Implications

Should the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.

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

Tournament Hosts Face Major Opener

Tournament hosts Australia find themselves alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.

Australia will kick off the tournament in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee match aimed at jump-start the competition.

In other groups, holders South Africa have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and Romania. France are in a pool with Japan, future hosts the United States and Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to twenty-four nations from the twenty who took part in 2023.

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

While the victor of England and Wales's group may avoid some of the game's heavyweights initially, they will have to face the second-placed team from Group B – probably the Italians – in the first knockout round.

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

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