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The English side together with Wales have been drawn in the same group for the 2027 RWC, promising a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw recalls their infamous clash in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.

Key Group Pairings

The Irish alongside Scotland also share a group once again, just as the situation from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Portugal, who each impressed as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.

Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked South Africa before the showpiece match, assuming the Springboks win their own group.

Knockout Ramifications

Should the pools play out in line with the current world rankings, other leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and Ireland all the way to the championship decider.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining highly-seeded nation on the same half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Fixture

Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn together with their great rivals and triple champions New Zealand in Group A.

The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a blockbuster match aimed at jump-start the competition.

In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. France are in a pool with the Brave Blossoms, 2031 hosts the USA and Manu Samoa.

Expanded Tournament for 2027

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

The 2027 tournament will introduce a last-16 round for the first time in the competition's history.

While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's biggest beasts early on, they will have to face the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely Italy – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the remaining six group 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