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England and their Welsh counterparts have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated early encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Group F by Tonga and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw mirrors their infamous meeting in the group phase of the 2015 tournament, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.

Key Group Draws

The Irish and Scotland also share a pool together, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, Ireland secured a convincing victory, with their opponents failing to progress to the knockout stages.

Los Teros and Portugal, both made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that same group.

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

Tournament Ramifications

If the pools conclude according to the current world rankings, further leading contenders like New Zealand and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from the likes of England and the Irish all the way to the final.

Under those circumstances, Argentina would be the other highly-seeded nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Tournament Hosts Face Blockbuster Opener

Hosts the Wallabies find themselves alongside their great rivals and triple champions the All Blacks in Pool A.

The Wallabies will open 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, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.

Larger Tournament for 2027

Los Pumas will face Fiji, Spain and Canada as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who competed in France.

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

Although the victor of Pool F may avoid some of the game's biggest beasts initially, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – most likely the Italians – in the first knockout round.

Four of the remaining six group 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