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England together with Wales have been drawn in the same pool for the 2027 RWC, promising a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in Australia. Completing the group in Group F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and the Zimbabwean Sables.

This draw mirrors their memorable meeting in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at England's home ground contributed to the English team's shock group stage elimination.

Other Notable Group Draws

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

Los Teros and Os Lobos, both made a strong impression as underdogs in France, complete that Pool D.

Significantly, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and world number one the Springboks until the showpiece match, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.

Knockout Implications

Should the pools conclude in line with the current global standings, further leading contenders like the All Blacks and Les Bleus would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.

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

Hosts Draw Major Fixture

Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.

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

Elsewhere, reigning champions the Springboks have drawn the Azzurri, Georgia and Romania. France are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the United States and Samoa.

Larger Tournament for 2027

Argentina will face the Flying Fijians, Spain and Canada as the tournament expands to twenty-four nations from the twenty who competed in France.

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

While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will have to face the runner-up from Pool B – probably Italy – in the last 16.

Four of the other 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