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The English side and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This pairing mirrors their memorable meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where a Welsh win at England's home ground contributed to the hosts' surprise group stage elimination.

Key Group Pairings

The Irish and the Scots also share a group once again, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they claimed a 36-14 win, with Scotland unable to progress to the quarter-finals.

Uruguay and Portugal, both made a strong impression as surprise packages in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.

Significantly, the winners of both Pool D and Pool F cannot meet defending champions and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, presuming the Springboks win their own group.

Tournament Ramifications

If the groups conclude according to the current world rankings, further top favourites like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would remain separated from both England and Ireland until the championship decider.

In that scenario, Los Pumas would be the other highly-seeded nation on the same side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener

Tournament hosts Australia find themselves together with their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.

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

Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, future hosts the USA and Samoa.

Larger Format for 2027

Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup grows to twenty-four nations from the 20 who competed in 2023.

The 2027 tournament will feature a last-16 stage for the first time in Rugby World Cup history.

While the victor of England and Wales's group may be kept apart from some of the rugby's biggest beasts early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.

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

RWC 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