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The English side and their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same group for the 2027 RWC, setting up a major early clash in the tournament Down Under. Completing the group in Pool F by the Tongan Ikale Tahi and Zimbabwe.

This pairing echoes their memorable clash in the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham contributed to the English team's surprise early exit.

Key Group Draws

The Irish and the Scots also share a group once again, just as the situation from the 2023 edition. In that tournament, they secured a 36-14 victory, with Scotland unable to advance to the knockout stages.

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

Notably, the winners of these two groups cannot meet holders and top-ranked the Springboks until the final, assuming the South Africans win their assigned pool.

Knockout Ramifications

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 the likes of the English and Ireland until the championship decider.

Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the other top-ranked nation on that half of the knockout draw as those northern hemisphere teams.

Hosts Face Major Fixture

Hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their trans-Tasman rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.

The Wallabies will kick off the World Cup in Perth on 1 October 2027 in a blockbuster fixture designed to jump-start the event.

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

Larger Format for 2027

Los Pumas will take on the Flying Fijians, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the tournament grows to 24 teams from the twenty who took part in 2023.

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

While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the rugby's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Group B – probably Italy – in the first knockout round.

A total of four of the other six pool 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